It is well known to use load binding apparatus of some type to secure loads on transport vehicles such as flatbed trailers and railcars, to prevent shifting of the loads during transit. In the field of road transport in particular, it is a common practice to secure bulky cargo such as palletized goods and large equipment on a flatbed trailer by running one or more heavy steel chains over the load and connecting each end of each chain to the trailer frame, typically be means of hooks attached to each chain end. The chains must have a certain amount of slack in order to be hooked to the frame, so they need to be cinched or tightened around the load in order to hold it in place.
This is typically done using what are known in the field as “load binders”, of which there are numerous known types. Although their design and operation may differ to some extent, all load binders are similar in that they each have a pair of hooks that can be securely engaged with heavy chain (by slipping each hook over a selected chain link), plus a lever or other means which can be actuated to draw the load binder hooks toward each other. It is a relatively simple matter to engage the load binder hooks at appropriate locations on the chain so as to effectively shorten the length of the chain around the load (with any excess slack in the chain being gathered between the load binder hooks), such that actuation of the lever will further shorten the chain enough to induce tension in the chain so that the chain effectively clamps or binds the load against the flatbed.
The appropriate locations for engaging the load binder hooks with the chain will vary depending on the shape and configuration of the load being secured. If the hooks gather up too much chain slack, it will be impossible to actuate the lever; conversely, if they do not gather up enough slack, actuation of the lever will not induce any chain tension. Therefore, it may sometimes be necessary to determine the best hook engagement points by trial and error, but this is typically a quick and easy process. When the load binder is engaged with the chain in an optimal configuration, actuation of the lever in a first direction will tighten the chain securely around the load, and the lever will “snap” into a closed (i.e., tightened) position. In order to slacken the chain and remove it from the load, the load binder is released from the closed position by actuating the lever in the opposite direction, thereby lengthening the distance between the load binder hooks and relieving chain tension. The hooks can then be disengaged front the chain, and the chain can be removed from the load.
Unfortunately, load binder levers have been known to become inadvertently dislodged from the closed position, such as by accidental lever actuation, vibration during highway travel, or shock loading (such as when a trailer passes over a large bump or depression at excessive speed). These possibilities may be exacerbated by the fact that load binders tend to loosen somewhat once a loaded trailer starts traveling, as the secured load shifts slightly in response to travel-induced vibrations (and for this reason it is good trucking practice to check all load binders periodically during travel and adjust them as necessary). In any event, dislodgement of a load hinder lever can have serious consequences. If one or more levers are inadvertently released from the closed position, the chains will slacken, which in the worst case can result in the loads shifting or even tailing off the trailer during transit, creating major collision hazards for other traffic.
For the foregoing reasons, it is desirable and common to use supplemental means for preventing dislodgement of load binder levers from their closed positions. In fact, such supplement securement means may be required in order to comply with regulatory requirements. For example, the National Safety Code Standard 10 (Canada) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (U.S.) both require that tiedowns (such as load binders) used to secure cargo on or to a vehicle must be attached and secured in a manner that prevents the tiedown from slipping, loosening, unfastening, opening, or releasing while the vehicle is in transit.
One known way to provide such secondary securement for a load binder is to run a length of haywire (i.e., malleable steel wire) through a selected chain link and around the load binder handle when it is in the closed position, and then to twist the ends of the haywire together using pliers. This crude method is commonly used, but it is not ideal. Haywire is comparatively soft and therefore vulnerable to damage and fracture, such as by inadvertent impact from tools or equipment. Installation of haywire is time-consuming, and removed pieces of haywire should or must be discarded. In addition, haywire is prone to rusting.
As discussed later in this specification, other known devices for providing secondary securement of load binders also have particular drawbacks and disadvantages.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a device that provides reliable securement for load hinders and similar tiedowns, while at the same time being durable, inexpensive, and easy to install. There is a further need for such a device which is easily removable and which can be reliably re-used many times before requiring replacement. The present invention is directed to these needs.